Method of correcting imbalance on a motor vehicle wheel
First Claim
1. A method of determining imbalance correction weight locations for correcting vehicle wheel imbalance, comprising:
- scanning the profile of a vehicle wheel to be balanced;
obtaining imbalance data for said vehicle wheel;
electronically determining at least one weight plane location for a correction weight from said scanned wheel profile and said imbalance data, said weight plane location corresponding to an axial position along said scanned wheel profile.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method of correcting imbalance on a motor vehicle wheel/tire assembly. A sensing device coupled to an electronic measuring apparatus is used to scan the wheel in a continuous motion, obtaining the profile of the surface intended for the placement of at least one imbalance correction weight. The balancer computer analyzes the scanned profile and determines the best arrangement of correction weight locations and magnitudes. This system reduces the amount of weight, number of weights, and/or residual imbalance caused by systems where the operator determines the correction planes. The display shows the scanned profile and the weights exactly as the physical wheel and placed weights appear, improving intuitiveness and providing confidence in the measuring apparatus. The correction weight magnitudes and locations can be manually adjusted via the user interface and a real-time display update of required weights and the corresponding residual imbalance. Another improvement minimizes operator weight placement error by using the measuring apparatus and display as a guide to place a weight at the proper angular location on a correction plane.
65 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. A method of determining imbalance correction weight locations for correcting vehicle wheel imbalance, comprising:
-
scanning the profile of a vehicle wheel to be balanced; obtaining imbalance data for said vehicle wheel; electronically determining at least one weight plane location for a correction weight from said scanned wheel profile and said imbalance data, said weight plane location corresponding to an axial position along said scanned wheel profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method of determining imbalance correction weight locations for correcting vehicle wheel imbalance, comprising:
-
scanning a vehicle wheel to be balanced to obtain the wheel profile; obtaining imbalance data for the vehicle wheel; automatically determining, from the wheel profile and the imbalance data, a correction weight plane location for minimizing the amount of weight required to correct the imbalance of the vehicle wheel.
-
-
17. A method of determining imbalance correction weight locations for correcting vehicle wheel imbalance, comprising:
-
scanning a vehicle wheel to be balanced to obtain the wheel profile; obtaining imbalance data for the vehicle wheel; automatically determining, from the wheel profile and the imbalance data, when a single correction weight can correct the imbalance of the vehicle wheel. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
-
-
20. A method of assisting a human user in correcting vehicle wheel imbalance, comprising:
-
scanning the profile of a vehicle wheel to be balanced; electronically displaying to the human user a graphical representation of the scanned profile; obtaining wheel imbalance data; providing a visual display of correction weight plane locations, weight placement amounts and weight placement angles to an operator to correct the wheel imbalance; receiving operator input signals requesting a change in at least one weight plane location, weight placement amount, number of correction weights, or weight type; updating the visual display in response to the operator requested change, said updated display including a visual representation of the residual imbalance which would result from placement of at least one correction weight at the location corresponding to the operator requested change; applying correction weight to the vehicle wheel after the step of updating the visual display. - View Dependent Claims (21)
-
Specification